STIB 8060
Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 5:35 pm
Here is the last Eagle Model 16 on the planet. It is bus 8060 in the fleet of STIB/MIVB, the public transport opeartor in Brussels, capital of Belgium.
In 1975 STIB ordered three batches of 15 buses from three different suppliers. As it happened, a differrent bus won the contract for a much larger order that followed.
The Eagle 16 had, as did the other two prototype batches, an exterior design by noted Belgian industrial engineer Phillipe Neerman. Of the three batches, the Eagle 16 stood out for its silverside skirts and rear lighting from the Model 05 plus a somewhaat different windshield. The Eagle 16 was the only bus in the competiton built with integral construction. the others were body on chassis design and each half was supplied by a different builder.
These buses lasted for 10 years at STIB. The last two, 8059 and 8060, were used as VIP transport and had upgraded interiors. They were retained by STIB long after the others were sold to the City of Charleroi. 8060 is still around and is available for charters, now being part of the collection of the Brussels Tram Museum but still owned by STIB. After leaving Charleroi, the buses were scattered about to other operators. A company called Cityliner ended up with several of them and ran them to and from Brussels on a commuter service. Charleroi numbered them 701 to 713, later 7201 to 7213. I once had a ride on 7213 long ago. I also visited the large STIB depot where they were stored pending sale around 1985 or so. They were all parked neatly and in fleet number order inside the depot.
Here's the link...
https://trammuseum.brussels/en/vehicule ... 1975-1985/